Before Us
by ImJustThatAnimeFan
Summary: Spirit meets Stein, a creepy freak with touching issues. Stuck with whispering voices in his head and a horrible guilt, what is Spirit to do with all the people around him that link with his forgotten tragedy? First part of my soon-to-be a series, Our Alternate Origins. AU-ish. SteinxSpirit. Hints of DeathxSpirit, SpiritxKami, DeathxStein, and SteinxMarie . Fluffish stuff.
1. Prolouge

. **Our Alternate Origins - Before Us**

. **Prolouge - From the Start**

. **I've changed the title three times, erased paragraph after paragraph, re-wrote, undoed and drew so much until I have become completely satisfied with what I have. **

.

So cold.

The dark.

_Why was it so cold again?_

The dark was _**too **_dark.

_That noise. The noise was loud and it hurt his ears._

It was frightening.

Frightening.

Terrfiying.

Scary.

_Why was everything red?! Why were they looking at __**him**__? _

Scary.

He was drowning!

It wasnt water.

Too thick.

It hurt.

It _burned_!

**OH GOD IT **_**BURNED**_**!**

"Mommie!"

_Mommies dead, deary._

"Daddie!"

_He's gone too. Don't you know? You did it. __**You**__ killed them, remember?_

"I d-didn't! I love my mommie! I love my daddie! I want them!"

_Can't have them. You killed them._

_You killed them._

_Killed them._

_Killed._

_Them._

"M-Mommy? Where's my mommy?"

_His mommy is gone too. His daddy and stomach sister as well!_

_Look at what you did!_

_Look!_

_Look!_

_REMEMBER IT!_

.

. **I don't even think I spelled Prolouge correctly. Is it just prologe? Nah. Looks weird. Dunno. anyway, it's short, I know. Hate me later. Or not. **


	2. Beginning

. **Our Alternate Origins - Before Us**

. **Only to hurt **_**you**_** - Chapter 1**

. Exactly what the title is. Its an alternate universe and it's their alternate origins! The DWMA still exsist's and all but all the adults are kids so there is no Maka or Soul or anyone like that. This is like, before they were DWMA students and they knew what they were and all that blah blah. I wanted to like, make this a series. I already have titles so like this one is 'Our Alternate Origins - Before Us', then the next one is 'Our Alternate Origins - Our Time' , and then the last one 'Our Alternate Origins - Our Families'. **SENTENCES** in _italics_ are said by the evil voice unless said otherwise. EVIL.

.

Alright, this kid was offically keeping him out. The red haired boy frowned, face scrunching up in confusion. There was a younger boy in front of him, about half a head shorter than him and he was simply just _there, _watching him swing on the swing set. He hadn't minded at first, thinking the kid was just waiting for a swing to free up but it'd been like ten minutes and the rest of the kids had vanished from the playground. It made the kid all the more creepier. He wanted to run off and go home but he was afraid of what would happen if he did. Would the kid follow him or something?

Lost in his throughts he didn't notice the boy trudge through the snow and stand on the side of his swing. When he did though, he was high in the air and screamed, his grip on the iron links loosening and he fell in the downward swoop. He shrieked, rolling around in an attempt to get the pain on his backside to ease up, tears welling up in his eyes. The kid was standing over him now, his expression blank.

_"He doesn't like you," the voice whispered._

"Are you alright?" he asked, even his tone blank.

_"He doesn't care if you're alright. He wants to __**hurt**__ you," it reasoned. _

The older boy panted, twitching lightly but after a few moments he numbly nodded his head, glancing at the green-eyed boy.

"Y-yeah...I'm fine," he said, pausing for a few seconds and frowning, "why were you watching me?"

The boy was quiet, crouching down next to him, his hands on his knees and his chin resting against the backs of his knuckles.

"I've never seen hair the color of yours."

The elder boy blinked, narrowing his eyes, "Is that _all_?"

The boy nodded slowly.

"Thats all."

After a few moments, the red head frowned, "Well...you sure are weird."

The boy didn't seem affected by the insult, "I know."

"..I'm Spirit. Spirit Albarn," he said after a period of time.

"Franken Stein..."

Spirit blinked and tilted his head curiously, pushing himself to sit up, "Like...Like the monster in the old movie?"

The other boy shook his head in answer, "Frankenstein was the scientist. Henry Frankenstein."

Spirit nodded slowly in understanding, staring at him. He was kind of weird looking really. He looked too young to have white hair already and his pale green eyes were practically lifeless. Spirit's eyes grew wide.

"Holy crap is that movie _real_? Are you like, the offspring of Frankenstein and the bride chick?"

"I've never heard _that_ one before," he commented, lips twitching up into something that could be a smile.

Spirit suddenly felt stupid, cheeks coloring in embarrassment and something akin to anger. He turned his gaze downcast and crossed his arms and folded his legs, huffing out a puff of chilled breath. Stein watched him quietly, not looking the least bit cold in his skimpy white outfit. He wasn't even wearing gloves.

"You _are_ weird though," Spirit concluded once more, reaching over to touch the others boy hair.

Steins eyes narrowed and Spirit didn't even notice when he gripped his wrist until he felt the fingernail nubs digging into his flesh. His horrified gaze dropped back down to look at Steins calm one. It was useless trying to decipher what he was thinking beneath the swirl of indifference.

"F-Franken S-Stein?" he stuttered, leaning back and tugging on his hand.

"I did _not_ say you could _touch_ me," the boy answered, squeezing his wrist until it felt like it would break, "so don't."

"I won't again! I swear! Just let me go, please?" he begged, tears prickling the corners of his eyes.

He didn't know if Stein noticed them or not but he let his wrist go after that and he struggled briefly to stand, sniffling. He glared at Stein who was looking at him just as blankly as before. He raised his foot and kicked him in the chin, sending his head flying back and his body tumbling over. Spirit ran after that, particularly afraid of what would happen if he stuck around.

He'd made it down the street and around the corner into an alleyway, panting softly as he plopped down. He calmed his breath and peeked out and quickly glanced around. The boy didn't seem to have followed him. He sighed and stood up, walking out of the alley and cautiously stalking down the street. He figured he was by himself, examining his wrist. There were cresent shapes from the others nails and he had a bruise from the tightness in which it was held. He was practically home now.

By the time he heard the crunching he had turned around too late and unfortunately the fist collided with his face, causing him to stumble back and fall onto his butt in the snow. His assailant didn't give him time to jump up though before he was set on and was hit again, and again, and again until he was sure he was going to die.

"Spirt!"

He made a nose at the sound of his name and suddenly the weight on his stomach was gone. He raised a hand to his face and when he pulled his gloved hand away he was greeted with blood. He coughed and struggled a few moments before he was able to sit up and watch Stein get beat up by his neighbor.

"D-Death! Death _stop! _You're gonna kill him!"

The elder boy paused after a few moments, turning his head to stare at Spirit. His golden eyes were burning like the sun and he had flecks of blood painting his face and his white bangs. The boy stood up and delivered a swift kick into the wheezing boys side before he walked over to Spirit.

"Are you alright?"

"My nose and lip hurts.."

Death bent over and gently pressed down on his nose with a finger and it made a cracking nose. Spirit begun to cry in fear and pain. Death brushed his red bangs away and wiped the blood that was dripping from his nose off with the hankerchief he always kept in the breast pocket of his dress shirt. He was only fifthteen but he acted like an adult. Spirit sniffled and thanked him quietly for cleaning him off before glancing over to Stein who wasn't moving.

"Its not broken, purple thats for sure. Lip is busted too."

"I...Is he alright..?" he questioned quietly.

Death glanced over and shrugged, "We should probably tell my mom," he answered, scooping the smaller boy up and carrying him up the steps into his house.

"MOM! I INJURED ANOTHER KID!" he yelled, sitting Spirit on the couch as he walked off.

Spirit fidgeted for a few moments, gingering poking and prodding at his nose, wincing as he did so. He could hear Death and his mother discussing something loudly in the next room. The boys name wasn't actually Death but thats what everyone called him. He just had this aura that screamed 'death!' when you were around him. It scared most people away. Spirit stood up after a moment and tiptoed back out of the house, walking back down the steps and over to Stein who was standing up now, wobbling back and forth. His cheek was already bruising and he seemed to be missing a front tooth. His lip was busted and his nose seemed to be broken as well.

"_Damn_," Spirit found himself saying.

Stein stared, hand held up to cover his left eye, where the bruised cheek was. The younger boy made a nose and coughed, raising his other hand to cover his mouth. When he pulled his hand back away there was blood there.

"Oh crap! Are you alright?" Spirit asked quickly, rushing over and taking Steins hand without thinking.

The other boy didn't do anything that time, just stared at Spirit. Spirit frowned and moved the boys hair to the side, gingerly poking at the bruise on his face. There was a cut going through it and he was most definitely going to need stitches. It was going to be an eyesore since it curved around his eye. He trailed his fingertips down to poke his lip. It was definitely busted, just like his. He then bent over and raised the boys shirt up. He poked the bruise there on the side of his chest and Stein hissed. It was bruised but not broken.

Spirit dropped his shirt back down and straightened up, looking a little guiltily down at Stein, "Sorry about him."

Stein shook his head slowly, "I supposed I deserved some of that."

Spirit laughed before coughing into his hand. There was more blood on his glove and he wrapped his other arm around his stomach.

"I think you might have set down on my stomach just a little too hard," he wheezed with a smile.

When Deaths mother came outside she sighed quietly, holding her hand against her large belly and patting it affectionately before giving them a small smile.

"Come inside children, I have some medical supplies inside."

Spirit begun walking up the steps as the woman turned around to go inside but was stopped when he felt a tiny tug on his jacket, turning around to face Stein.

"Spirit?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you gonna call the cops on me?"

"Uh...Are you gonna call them on Death?"

"...No."

"Okay then but...why would it matter anyway? They'd just let you off with a warning and a medical bill to pay or something."

"No, i'm past warnings. I'll be going back to the juvenile detention center for longer this time."

Spirit stared at him.

"Thats alright. I won't tell."

_"Nothing's alright, deary," the voice hummed distantly, dissappearing back into its usual silence._

.


	3. Friends

. **Our Alternate Origins - Before Us**

. **Friends - Chapter 2**

. **SENTENCES in **_italics_ **are said by the evil voice unless said otherwise.**

.

A boy set on the snowy steps of a two story building, a notebook in his lap and a pen in his hand. He sighed, shivering lightly in the cool air and glaring up at the dropping snow before looking back at the notebook and scribbling down some things in not so neat handwriting.

Stuff about Franken Stein

1. Franken Stein does not like being called Franken but the majority of people do except Marie and his mom.

2. Will not discuss the Marie person.

3. Will kill you or attempt to kill you if you touch him without his consent.

4. Likes the color white and stitches(?).

5. Is not, for a fact, albino.

6. Wants to be a doctor or a scientist or just something along those lines.

7. Has been to the juvenile detention center twice and vows to not go back a third.

8. Does not appreciate it if you talk a lot.

9. Doesn't seem affected by insults.

10. Is twelve, thirteen in two and a half weeks.

11. Not-so-secretly likes his [Spirit's] hair?

13. Was adopted, moms name is Alexis.

The red head looked at the things he knew and sighed. He didn't know much and most of it really wasn't important. He only got to know number thirteen because his older friend told him. He glared at the paper silently. Unlike Stein, he was an open book, telling the younger of the two everything from his first birthday present to his mothers maiden name. He felt kind of stupid actually, telling a boy who kicked his ass absolutely everything a pyscho needed to know to get him.

"Spirit? Spirit can you hear me?"

Said boy jumped and glanced back at the boy crouching on the top step who was shaking his shoulder gently. Spirit blinked hard and nodded slowly. He must have zoned out waiting for him to come outside.

"Why are you here?"

"Oh..uh..thought you might wanna hang out?"

"Why? I nearly broke your nose but you wanna 'hang out'?"

Spirit rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, "Uh...well..why not?"

The lighter haired boy gazed at him. They both had bandages wrapped around the side of their faces, Spirit to cover his black eye and Stein to make sure his split face didn't get infected. The younger of the two had his arm in a sling but other than that, really no injuries. Spirit had a bandage on his nose and it was kind of a light purple, but not as bad it had been when the injury had first been examined.

"My arm is still broken, obviously. So, mother won't let me come outside..it's kind of messy since we just moved in but...I guess she'll be happy that I have someone over," he muttered dryly, standing up slowly and walking back over to the door, motioning Spirit to follow as he stepped inside.

Spirit did as he was told, surprised he'd gotten into the boys house this quickly. It took Death a week to let him visit. It only took a day to get in Steins. He shrugged it off as well as his jacket, standing on his tip toes to hang it on the coat rack. He pulled off his snow boots and put them near the door as Stein vanished down the hall.

"Mother," Spirit could hear him from the living room, "I have someone over."

He could hear an annoyed sigh, "Is it Marie again dear?"

"No."

There was a long pause and then a squeal as a ash blonde woman came darting out of the room Stein had just come out of. She was sweating, wearing a tank top and shorts, her hair piled atop her head messily. She was practically giddy with joy as she stopped in front of Spirit, clasping her hands together.

"Oh my it's such a mess in here," there was quite a mess, "_i'm_ such a mess. Oh it's nice to meet you, you can call me Alexis if you want," she held out her hand for him to shake but dropped it back when she noticed it was dusty, "I was cleaning the laundry room, so dusty. Sorry."

"Mother, he's still in the doorway, might want to let him pass."

The woman flushed and moved out the way, gesturing to Spirit to follow her as she turned around a corner. He glanced at Stein who had his eyes closed and his lips downturned in a frown, arms crossed over his chest. Spirit took this chance to flick him in the nose and then slid down the hall with his socks and to Stein's mother. She turned to glance at him curiously before stepping into the kitchen with him in tow.

"We have a bunch of juice, can't have any apple juice though, thats all Ste-"

"He can have a box of apple juice, Mother."

Alexis glanced back at her son and blinked a few times before glancing at the smiling red head next to her.

"Sure, I'd like some apple juice."

A little more than a bit dumbfounded, she made her way over to the refrigerator and grabbed two of the little boxes and handed it to each of the children, watching Stein open his quickly.

"I think your room is fine Stein, I put all your clothes in your closet and dragged all the boxes out. I hooked up your game if you'd like to play that too," she informed, grabbing an energy drink from the fridge and ruffling Spirits hair and then Steins as she walked past, "I'll be making dinner in a few minutes after I'm done if you want to stay, um..whats your name?"

"Oh, Spirit Albarn."

"Ah, Spirit. You're with the Gallows family, right?" she asked, taking a swig of her drink.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Really, just call me Alexis. You can call your parents and tell them you're staying," she said before pausing, realizing he hadn't agreed to anything, "If you want."

Spirit smiled sadly, "Yes ma-.. ."

She smiled, "It'll do, Spirit. it'll do," she said before taking her leave.

Spirit sighed and glanced over at Stein who was shaking his empty juice box lightly next to his ear and then throwing it away. Spirit blinked and then held out his. He hadn't really wanted it. Stein stared at it skeptically before slowly reaching out and taking it.

"Mother only allows me one of these an hour," he explained off-handedly.

"So...you're like a junkie, for apple juice?"

"I guess. Are you coming or are you leaving now?"

"I'm coming, i'm coming. Sheesh."

Stein lead the way further down the hall before making a turn and up some stairs, sipping his juice and glancing repeatedly back to make sure Spirit was still following. Most kids would have left by now, either because they thought his mother was to happy and he was too stoic, his apple juice obsession was disturbing, or the beat down he'd given them for whatever they'd done in the first five minutes of stepping inside of their home had them and whatever kids in the neighborhood stay away.

"Hey, Stein?"

Stein paused on the top step, looking at Spirit who was standing on the bottom step of the third and last platform.

"I'm not going anywhere so stop freaking out man. Thats going to make me think you have a dead person up there or something," he said nervously, glancing around.

Stein blinked hard and then nodded after a moment, his shoulders dropping. He hadn't even really noticed when he tensed up but the skittish reassurance from the other boy had a calming affect on him. The corner of his lip twitched up in an unintentional smile. If that didn't make the other boy run away, nothing would.

"Alright, Spirit."

Spirit returned the small smile with a large grin, walking up the rest of the steps as Stein walked down the second floor hall and to a room at the end and opening it. It was a large room but it was scare and plain. Everything was white really. The walls, there was even tiled floors which confused him greatly. There was an wrought iron bed in corner, next to the window. There was a kind of stitched pattern in the wall and when he got a closer look, it was just industrial staples with a black pen mark going through it to connect them. Weird, but creative.

There was a first aid kit on an iron table in the corner across from the bed. There was a surgical tray there too with various, clean, sharp tools there as well. Needles and little jars of liquids too. There was another level on the table and there was a pet rat in a container there, sluggishly running around and into the plastic walls. There was a book case in the next corner, on the side with the door. Various books filled it up. It seemed organized by title.

_The Human Anatomy, The Human Brain, The Human Digestive System.._Spirit stopped reading after that, turning to glance at Stein who was looking at him a little expactantly. There was a weird little smell, like something died but then it smelled clean and sterile at the same time.

_"He's going to use this stuff to _**kill you**_." the voice whispered, giddy with excitement._

Spirit ignored the whispering voice in the back of his head, "So..Uh..Is this where the dead body is? E...eheh.." he joked nervously, chuckling half-heartedly.

Stein looked at him blankly, eyes narrowing, "In the the closet. Might be decomposing by now."

Spirit spared a glance to the double doors in the final corner and that ladies in gentlemen, is when Spirit ran out screaming, nearly killing himself as he slipped down the stairs, rolling down them and falling flat on his back on the second platform, head thumping against the wall. He groaned and raised a hand to his face.

"Stein? Spirit? Whats going on?" he could faintly hear as she appeared in front of him, hovering over, "Stein! _Stein!_ What did you _do?_" she cried and it made Spirit wince.

"I thought we were making jokes!" he heard the boy respond yell back, his feet thumping as he came down the stairs which was quite irritating.

"Stop _talking...please_," he groaned weakly.

"You know you're terrible at jokes, Stein...Oh I think he has a concussion," the woman whispered quietly, cupping the back of Spirits neck and gingerly pulling him up to sit and resting his head against her shoulder, "poor baby."

Alexis slipped her arm under his legs and hoisted him up, cooing softly as Stein followed her to the kitchen. She set Spirit on the counter next to the seat and directed Stein to watch him so he wouldn't fall over. She darted out of the kitchen.

"Are you reporting me _now_, Spirit?" Stein asked blankly.

"Huh...? Uh," Spirit's head lolled to the side and he frowned, licking his dry lips, "no...? I think..yeah, no.."

Stein gave him another one of his twitch smiles and then reached up to grasp his shoulders when he begun to tilt forward, "Stay awake. If you die i'm going to prison."

"But...didn't...you didn't do anything this time.."

"Eh. Who's going to vouch for me? A skittish mother who probably thinks shes lying since she doesn't know squat either and a dead body? They'll say I have intent after Death testifies that I attacked you yesterday."

Spirit laughed but stopped immediately after it sent a throbbing pain through his head, "_You're funny._ Give me some paper and pen."

Stein blinked but pushed him back enough to whereas his head gently hit the cupboard behind him before walking over and searching through a few drawers, coming back with a grocery list and a flower pen and handing it to Spirit.

The red head twisted around so he could hunch over and write against the counter, tounge sticking out of the corner of his lip, eyebrows wiggling oddly as if he was doing it on purpose to amuse the other. It wasn't working so he stopped eventually. Stein waited paitently, wondering what he was writing down.

"There!" he exclaimed shoving the paper over to Stein and nearly falling over again before the boy push him back.

Stein sighed and leaned forward, gingerly resting his elbows on either side of Spirit's thighs, weary of his injured arm and pressing his head into the others boy stomach, his hands and the paper resting in Spirit's lap so he could read whatever the boy wrote without incident.

"I, Spirit Albarn, write this to confirm that I was not murdered by Franken Stein. He is very...does that say cool or not? Whatever, anyway..cool and nice despite the fact he totally tried to kill me yesterday and is super creepy. He let me have some of his apple juice because we're friends and his mom is super nice. Signed, Spirit Albarn..." he read aloud.

Stein paused and almost laughed.

"Really, Spirit? Really?"

"What? I'm being..t-truthful!"

"I was just kidding about the prison thing, Spirit."

"Thats very nice and all Spirit, but Stein, I think you might wanna move, looks a little..weird."

Stein turned his head to glance back at his mother then wracked his brain to figure out what she was talking about. He frowned as finally their position came to him and he glared at the blonde woman. Alexis smiled, cheeks colored and glancing in between the two.

Spirit looked at them quizzically but didn't express his confusion, instead patting Steins head absentmindedly until the other boy moved back to swat at the offending hand. Spirit smiled a little stupidly before Stein shook his head.

"I think he's fine now, Mom. I'll take him home."

"Oh Stein! You called me _mom_! I'm so happy!" she squealed, fist pumping the air triumphly.

"Bye _mother_," he said, just to make her sulk as he pulled Spirit off the counter and out of the kitchen.

Spirit pulled on his boots and jacket, his mind much clearer now. He liked Steins mom but Stein seemed to find her annoying. He got up off the couch and stepped over to Stein who was by the door, pausing as he was about to step out to turn and look at Alexis who was standing in the kitchen doorway, peering around the corner.

"Bye mom!" he said quickly before darting out.

"Did you just call my mother mom?"

"I did, I did. I read this thing online where it said fake friends call their friends parents by their real names and real friends call them mom and dad."

Stein blinked a few times. "Whats the difference between fake friends and real friends? Aren't they all just..friends anyway?"

Spirit sighed and shook his head, Stein following him as he walked down the street, "Fake friends are those people who take and take and really give nothing in return. Real friends are those people who will stick around with you, even when you beat the crap out of them," Spirit joked with a smile.

"So...are..are you a real friend then, Spirit?"

"Of course. I just have to see if _you're_ a real friend."

Stein blinked and for a few brief moments felt his stomach churn and he rubbed his injured arm nervously. This was something he'd never experienced before, not something he believed he could handle. Being a friend to someone, wasn't impossible he guessed but being a real friend was giving him some trouble. The hopeful shine in Spirit's eyes seemed to be dimming each passing moment that they stared at each other.

The lighter haired boy wracked his brain for something to do before he lost the first real company he had in years, pursing his lips and frowning. It was probably cheesy and cliche, but it would do. He spread his free arm and held it out towards Spirit.

"I give you permission to hug me, Spirit."

Spirit seemed stupified by what he was getting and was just simply staring. That went on for a long moment and Stein was about to give up and go home until the slightly taller boy stepped forward into his extended arm and hesitantly wrapped his own arms around Stein's waist. Stein blinked and almost dropped his arm completely in mild shock but quickly settled his hand on his hip.

Spirit cleared his throat, "We're hugging, Stein. Not waltzing so move your hand up just a wee higher and wrap it around me," he explained.

Stein blinked and did as told, resting his chin on the older boys shoulder, eyes narrowing when he noticed his mother having a panic attack at their front door. She was truly troublesome sometimes but she did love him, that much he could tell. He guess he cared about her too. She _had_ picked him out of the bunch despite the complaints filed against him and all the rumors and the whispers that their 'den mother' told her about. He was a killer in their minds. He was just a sad child in hers.

"Alright Stein, kinda hurts now, squeezing me a little tight there~" he sang, trying to pull away.

Stein nodded numbly and gave the boy a final, automatic squeeze, before he dropped his arm back down to his side. Spirit rubbed the back of his head, looking off to the side and blushing a pale pink.

"I..I guess I should be getting home now, Stein."

"Right. See you...later," Stein said slowly, waiting for a confirmation.

"Yep, maybe your mom can drive you to my house tomorrow. 102B Bakers Street, remember that!" he said before he ran off down the street.

Stein watched him run and cracked a smile when he tripped over something just before he turned the corner and fell flat in the snow. He got up and waved before dissappearing completely. He turned around and stuck his hand in his pocket, walking back to his home. They'd only taken a few steps away from it in the first place so he was practically already there.

"That was so _cute!_" his mother squealed once he was inside, "I got so many pictures!"

"You...You took pictures?"

"I did, I did. Wanna see?"

Stein paused and pondered over this. It'd be interesting to see it for a different angle, his first friend hug, right? It wouldn't be weird. He cleared his throat and nodded numbly. Alexis grinned and handed him the digital camera.

He examined the pictures and truly felt dumb. There were twenty in total, back to back. It lead up to the hug and then stopped soon after they broke apart. Spirit's back was to the camera after the first picture and you really could only see Stein. He looked surprised really, during the hug and all but he looked happy too. His expression was slack and his eyes wide, single arm wrapped tightly around the other.

"When you get these printed out, make sure I get this one," he said, handing her back the camera.

Alexis looked at the camera and smiled. It was the first one, when that little shine in Spirit's eye was gleaming and he was smiling widely at Stein while he himself was looking puzzled but intruiged. The woman nodded and reached over to ruffle his hair.

"Sure thing, hun."

.

. **AHJKDHFJHE THEY HUGGED. EFHJK THEY HUUUUUGGGED. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME. Stein does not hug people. Oh well. It was cute, you have to admit. I almost threw up at the cuteness. Cya later, space cowboy.**


	4. Hello Blue Eyes

. **Our Alternate Origins - Before Us**

. **Hello blue eyes - Chapter 3**

. **This particular chapter is all over the place so don't freak out on me. SENTENCES in **_italics_ **are said by the evil voice unless said otherwise.**

.

"Hello blue eyes."

The blue-eyed boy had been truly puzzled by the greeting, staring at the girl. She was about as tall as his white haired problem friend. She was wearing a hoodie and black shorts. Her dirty blonde hair was in a ponytail and her sharp gold snake eyes were mischevious and inviting.

"Urg..Hi?" he responded around a mouthful of taco.

"What are _you_ doing here, Medusa?" Death spat, glaring at her.

"Oh hello there Darcel. This is a food court at a public mall, I bet you'll meet plenty of people you know around here."

"Cept I wish I didn't know you," he sneered, "c'mon Spirit, it reeks in here."

Spirit frowned but quickly swallowed and barely grabbed his soda as his companion gripped his sleeve and forcefully dragged him from the resturant. The girl waved at Spirit since he was still facing her and gave her pocket a pat as if trying to tell him something before she raised her hand to her face.

"Call me," she mouthed.

Spirit blinked and mouthed back, "How?"

She gave her pocket another pat and then pointed to him as they dissappeared around a corner. Spirit frowned as he dug his hand around in his jean pocket and came back out with a slip of paper.

"Oh wow..she gave me her number."

"Huh? What? Medusa gave you her number?" Death said, pausing to glance back at him.

"Yeah..cool."

"No, not cool, give it here."

Death let go of Spirits shirt and reached for the paper but Spirit held it away and stuck out his tongue.

"_No way!_ I've never gotten a girls number before, I'm going to call her."

"Are you serious?! Spirit, she's evil! Beside's, you got Kami's number years ago!"

"She was totally nice and Kami is like my sister, eww!"

"I'm ewww?"

Both boys turned around at the sound of the voice. A blonde and green eyed girl stood there, head tilted to the side and a hand on her hip, staring at Spirit accusingly. They were the same height so it wasn't hard to miss her glare but he seemed oblivious to her, staring at something beyond her.

"Oh, hi Kami," Death greeted with a half wave.

"Hey look! I see Stein too!"

"Stein? Whos that? Someone thats not ewww?" the blonde asked, turning to the ravenette as Spirit ran off.

"A new guy. They met a few days ago and Spirit is pretty much gay for him."

"What! B-But, but he promised we'd get married when we grew up!"

"You were eight, Kami. Eight."

"So! That doesn't mean a thing!"

"Oh well. He has Medusa's phone number as well."

"That _witch_ is here?" the girl hissed, eyes wide.

"Yep."

Kami sighed and then looked back over at her hope-to-be-husband and watched him tackle a white haired boy stopped in front of a store. In return, the boy twisted Spirit around with his only good arm and threw him to the ground easily, pulling his arm back and stepping on his back. The woman next to his abuser was tugging on him, her hair coming loose from it's place on top of her head.

"Steiiiiiiiiiin, that hurts!"

"I did not give you permission to touch me!"

"But hun! You let him hug you two days ago!"

"Mom! Do not bring that up!"

"How can I not bring it up when you even have a picture of it stitched [stapled really] to the wall?"

"You do Stein? Thats just -ah!"

Stein's eye twitched and he pushed down hard with his foot and twisted Spirits arm around.

"I'm sorry, Stein! I won't touch you again!" he whined.

Stein scrunched up his face but dropped the boys arm and let him collect himself. Spirit wiped his eyes and smiled up at Stein. The young boy sighed and face palmed with his free hand and then glanced up at his mother who had thrown her arms over his shoulders from behind him and rested her chin atop his head.

"You two look so damn cute, makes me wanna throw up rainbows."

"Mother, _shut up_."

The woman lightly smacked him in the mouth, "I will not."

She glanced around before her gaze landed on Spirit again who was standing up now, rubbing his arm lightly but otherwise seemed fine. He was fidgeting nervously, giving her a small questioning smile. She tilted her head slightly and wondered what was wrong before she noticed him looking at how they were wrapped up. She smiled happily.

"Awe, c'mon, i'll give you an Alexis hug too," she hummed cheerfully, walking over to Spirit and doing the same she'd done with Stein, except from the front and without a smack to the mouth.

Spirit smiled and hugged her back for a moment before she stepped away, "Where are you're parents, Spirit?"

_"Dead Dead Dead! Why don't you tell them how, Spirit? Tell them you killed them." the voice cackled._

Spirit clenched his fists briefly before flashing her a small smile, "My parents died when I turned six, ."

Said woman seemed stun, hand going up to touch her heart as she gave him a teary eye'd smile. He glanced away to look at the ground.

"I'm always drawn towards the little sad babies," she whispered, bending over and brushing the hair away from Spirits forehead and planting a light kiss there.

Spirit blinked slowly and glanced back up at her, glancing away shyly and stuffing his hands in his jean pockets. Alexis gave him a gentle pat to his head.

"Well, if you want, you keep on calling me mom, I can be that for you," she cooed.

The red head nodded slowly and then glanced over to Stein. The boy was looking over at him unblinkingly. His face was slack and relaxed, shoulders drooping but not in sadness but in something akin to relief. His gaze was filled with regret, and mourning, and _sadness_. Spirit tensed and stared back at him, wondering why the boy was letting such raw emotion flow through.

"Spirit? Are you alright?" Death asked, jogging over with Kami hot on his tail.

"Uh, yeah. I'm fine," he said slowly, breaking his stare down with Stein to look at Death.

"Oh, are these your friends, Spirit? Hi, I'm Stein's mother, Alexis, nice to meet you all."

"Nice to meet you too, Ms! I'm Kami..I've never met Stein before but..I'm guessing thats him?" she asked, glancing over to the once again stoic boy lingering near Spirit's side.

"Oh it is, it is. Come here and introduce yourself Stein."

Stein reluctantly did so, coming over to the blonde girl. She was taller than him but not by much, just like Spirit. He held out his free hand.

"Franken Stein."

Kami took his hand and shook it, "Kami Hiyun - Albarn."

"Oh, are you Spirit's sister or something?" Alexis asked curiously.

Kami shook her head and set her hands on her hips, grinning widely, "His soon to be wife!"

"Oh my.."

"Absolutely not!" both Spirit and Stein snapped.

Everyone briefly glanced over to Stein but he didn't seem to have moved or said anything so they all asumed they'd just imagined it. Except Kami. She could feel his eyes boring holes into her very soul and when she glanced over to ask him what was wrong, she was silenced by the sad but childish glare in his eyes. She quickly glanced away.

"I'm going to go now, I have to do more shopping before my mom comes to pick me up, bye," she said with a light wave before jogging away.

Death sighed and stretched, "Im going to call my mom to pick me up. Are you coming, Spirit?"

"You can come shopping with us, Spirit," Stein cut in, glancing quickly at the red head.

"I think i'll stay, Death. I'll take you up on that offer, Stein."

Death nodded and waved goodbye to the trio before he jogged off. Spirit turned back to Stein and his mother and grinned at them, clasping his hands behind his back. Alexis smiled and motioned for them to follow after her. They did, lagging back and walking next to each other. They didn't talk, well, Stein didn't. Spirit thought it was nice to have someone just listen sometimes, responding with little noises and brief nods or shakes instead of trying to butt in and add their two cents. Stein seemed to zone off though as they approached a computer place with compluter accessories.

"Mother, mother, this is the place I was telling you about, with the computer I wanted. Can we go inside?"

Alexis sighed and reluctantly agreed, letting an unusually eager Stein drag her into the electronics store. Spirit had to admit, it was a really cool place and all. It had things from earbuds to computer chairs and desks. He wondered around but glanced back when he heard Stein make a little disappointed noise.

"I can't get it?"

"Ah..Momma really doesn't like when you use expressions on her. I can't get it for you, Stein. I'm still looking for a job so I can't get you this but I promise as soon as I can, I will, mommy promises!"

Spirit peered around an accessory rack to see Stein and his Mother lingering over a computer set. The computer itself was one of the ones with the box on the back instead of a flatscreen. The desk with it was metal and the computer chair was a dark green. It was really interesting to look at, really old though. He turned to the man at the counter and pointed to it.

"I want that," he demanded childishly, handing the man a credit card.

The cashier looked at him a little boredly before he took the card and rang up the special on that particular computer. After the transaction was done, the man made him sign the receipt and he got his own and stuffed it in his pocket before pulling out whatever money he had. It was about a hundred dollars.

"I'll give you this and more if you can deliver it to Honeydew Dr. 103. Just swing by 102B Baker Street when you drop it off."

The cashier was looking at him skeptically but shrugged and nodded anyway, "Aight kid. I'll bring it over," he sighed, smoothing out the bills before tucking them in his pocket, "my shift ends in an hour, i'll be there in thirty after that."

Spirit nodded happily and turned around, bumping straight into Stein.

"Did you buy something?"

"Ah, nah. I was asking him where just the electronic store was."

Stein nodded a bit and then they both walked out, following Stein's mother. They were leaving now and Spirit was giddy with joy, wringing his hands. He was trying not to give away anything was wrong but the looks Stein was casting him told him he was failing miserably. He gave up and hummed happily. He paused though when he came apon Alexis car.

"Oh..Ah..You know what..I think i'll walk," he said nervously.

"Oh? But its a two hour walk and it'll be dark soon, hun! You're going to get sick or worse..."

Spirit gulped visibly and stared at the vehicle nervously. He'd never gotten in one without no one knowing his situation. Death always had to carry him inside then hold him the rest of the way. He shook his head quickly and squeezed his eyes shut, sucking in a hissed breath.

"Spirit? Spirit are you alright?"

Spirit nodded quickly but he most obviously was not, his shoulders tense and fist clenched.

"Spirit, dear, is something wrong?"

"Please.._please don't call me dear._" he choked out, breathing picking up.

_"Spirit, dear, dearie, please stop kicking the back of your father's chair," his mother said with a sigh, "its very distracting."_

Spirits fingers unclenched and clenched, trembling now. Stein spared a glance at the other who was all but ready to breakdown in tears at now knowing what to do.

_"Repeat after me and everything will be fine~" the voice hummed._

"Spi-"

_"I killed my parents," it begun slowly._

"I...my parent's died in a car."

Alexis was stunned to say the least but she stayed silent, hoping it prompted him to continue. Stein gazed at him, gripping his injured arm unintentionally.

_"Because I was a brat and we crashed the car. I killed lots of people because I'm a brat!" _

"And...and," he paused, "Cars scare me."

Alexis let out a sigh, raising a hand to her chest. She smiled sadly at the young boy and then glanced over to Stein. He seemed to relax, shoulders slumping forward and eyes closing briefly before fluttering back open.

"I'll drive extra careful, Spirit. I promise. Stein can sit in the back with you too."

_"She'll crash it on purpose and kill you. She promised it."_

Spirit didn't seem too convinced, eyes still shut tightly. After a few panicked moments, his breathing steadied and his shoulders slumped. His hands stayed balled up though.

"O-ok.."

Stein got into the car first and after a few minutes of coaxing, Spirit finally set down next to him, eyes wide and fingers gripping the edge of the seat. Stein reached over awkwardly and gripped his shoulder as his mother came around and set in the drivers seat, sparing them a glance before starting the car. Spirit jumped at this and his arms wrapped around himself, licking his suddenly dry lips. Stein frowned slightly and leaned against the other boy.

"Spirit? Spirit? _Senpai_," he ended up saying, pursing his lips.

Spirit blinked hard and glanced over at him, relaxing some automatically as his focus was diverted, "What does _that_ mean?"

"It's a word in japanese the means 'senior'," he explained, "not like, old people but just someone older than you I guess by a few years. Like highschool senior."

"Oh..thats pretty weird..I like it though."

"Ah...you do?"

"Yeah, Spirit-Senpai," he giggled, "sounds pretty cool in some funny way."

"Now you're the weird one, Senpai."

Spirit grinned and his cheeks were a dim pink, reaching up to tuck some of his own hair behind his ear. He blinked again when they bounced slightly and he tensed again. Their conversation had distracted him somewhat and he'd forgotten he was in a car. He gulped and glanced at Stein out of the corner of his eye, scooting closer just a bit.

Stein glanced over to the boy as their hands briefly brushed and then sighed lightly, grabbing hold of his hand and looking forward, deciding to avoid eye contact throughout the awkward drive. He felt their fingers intwine after a few moments and then Spirit pressed against him. He sighed and shook his head softly. This was going to be the longest hour drive ever.

-.-.-.-.-.-

They were back at Stein's house, drinking apple juice and sitting on his couch, flipping through channels. There wasn't really anything on so they started searching through on demand.

"Hey Spirit, since it's already past eight, how about you stay over?" Alexis suggested, standing in the kitchen doorway, looking at the two vegetables in the living room with a small smile.

"Cool!" "No."

Spirit and Alexis glanced over at Stein who was still staring at the t.v. who didn't seem to have said anything until he continued, "He can't stay over."

"Awe, why not Stein? We have a spare mattress somewhere and your bedroom has more than enough space."

"He _can't_ sleep in my room, mother."

"Stein! Do not be so rude!"

"He cant, he won't, and he never will."

Spirit frowned and hopped up, hands on his hips, "You're hiding something up there, aren't you?" he accused.

Stein continued to stare at the t.v. and sip his juice. Spirit turned on his heel and ran down the hall. Stein jumped up, yelling for him to stop and chased after him. Alexis frowned and was about to follow them up when the doorbell rang. She hesitated before going over to answer.

"Uh...delivery?"

"I didn't ask for delivery for anything..?"

"This is the address the little red head boy gave me, so it has to be" the teenager complained, "I think it's a present or something since he lied to the weird boy."

Alexis blinked a few times, "Oh..well..do I owe you something..?"

"Nah, told me to swing by his place and get whatever he owes me for this," he said, gesturing towards the two boxes next to him. "So...do you want it or not?"

Alexis nodded after a few moments and let him drag the boxes inside. She waved him off and then locked the door back before examing the boxes, ripping the tape off one and opening it. She blinked slowly and then a wide smile spread.

"Oh Stein will be so ha-"

"YOU CRAZY PSYCHO!"

She flinched and glanced over to the stairs, not wasting a second as she ran up them and towards Steins room. They were standing outside of it, a box labeled 'Do not touch' knocked over and the contents scattered, Spirit sitting in the middle of it and Stein not very far away. She guessed Spirit tripped over it. He was holding torn newspaper articles in his hand and he was shaking hard.

"Y...you want to _kill_ me too!" he cried, tears rolling down his cheeks.

"I **did** want to kill you. I don't want to anymore. I like you, Senpai," Stein confessed.

"Stein? Spirit? Whats going on?"

Spirit raised a shaky hand and pointed to Stein. He seemed so afraid, "He wants to kill me! He wants to _**kill**_ me! Thats why you came up to me in the park! You psycho!"

"Spirit, I'm sure thats not t-"

"It is true, mother. Thats why I wanted to move here."

Spirit jumped up suddenly and punched Stein in the face before taking off, crying and screaming bloody murder as he did. Stein lay on the ground, hand holding his bleeding nose and staring blankly up at the ceiling. Figuring she wasn't going to get anything out of Stein soon, she tip toed past him and picked up some of the clippings.

_'BOY ADMITS THAT HE CAUSED TRAGIC CAR ACCIDENT. KILLS TEN.' - 'STATEMENT FROM SPIRIT ALBARN "I'M A BRAT AND I KILLED MY PARENTS AND SHE WANTS TO KILL ME" . WHO IS THE MYSTERIOUS 'SHE'?'._ She dropped those to pick up a few clippings with pictures of Spirit. He was looking blank and solemn, standing with a black haired family. There was a little subtitle at the bottom of it._ 'Gallows family takes in Albarn boy.'_. She picked up another newspaper photo, this time of all the surviors. There were only six and they were all mostly children except for the older woman.

_"Six people survived the crash on Newton St. four days ago. Five children and one parent. Ten others died.(Survivors from left to right) Spirit Albarn, six, just came from a photo shoot with his parents when the car lost control and sped into the car of five year old Franken Stein and parents. They as well had just recently left the same photo shoot establishment. A car clipped the back of Spirit's belonging to that of four year old Medusa Gordon and parents and they sped into a car belonging to twenty seven year old Angela Gallows and eight year old son Darcel 'Death' Gallows before they ran into the final car belonging to Marie Mnjoir and parents. All parents aside from Angela Gallows did not survive. Govenor and husband Howard Gallows was not in the car. A statement from Spirit Albarn convinces the police that the car incident was in fact, an accident and the boy had no true intentions of murder._

"Oh Stein...but he didn't kill your parents," she said softly, picking up another photo this time, this one with markings and death threats on it, "it was an accident."

"He admitted to it," he said, voice sounding off since he was holding his nose shut, "he caused the accident."

"He was _six_ Stein, he was _six_. He lost his parents too. Don't you think it's bad enough ecspecially when he thinks he killed all those people on purpose? Because he, he was being a brat? Don't you think wanting to kill him is just a little too much, Stein? Don't you think he's been through too much?"

Stein didn't answer but he did drop his hand back to the floor, letting the blood trickle from his nose and down the side of his cheek and onto the floor.

"I..I don't even know if he remembers me, mother," he spoke after a while, "I don't think he does. We met that day, at the photo place. I wanted to play with him but mommie said no so I dropped it. When I saw him, after the accident. He was crying..I felt sorry for him because I knew my parents were dead buy I wasn't crying," he begun to laugh, tears streaming, and smile wide, "because I thought, 'Now we can play!' but he was too sad to do it so I got mad and hated him. I don't even think I blame him for killing my parents, it's just a stupid childhood grudge," he was still laughing, stopping only to take gasps of breaths as he rolled on the floor, "I just wanted to _play_!"

Alexis watched her child. He was just what everyone told her. A psycho, a soon to be murderer, a lost cause. He was all those things. She crumpled to the ground, head in her hands and sobbed. She'd adopted a real psycho.

Did it make her a psycho too, if she didn't regret it?

.

.** Yay, the ball is rolling and rolling down a steep hill, ain't it? ehehe c: Is this escalating too fast? Oh well.**


	5. Death

. **Our Alternate Origins - Before Us**

. **Death - Chapter 4 **

. **Hello guys. New chapter. This particular chapter is pretty heavier DeathxSpirit than other chapters so skip to the next chapter if this couple makes you want to shoot yourself. SENTENCES in** _italics_ **are said by the evil voice unless said otherwise.**

.

He ran and ran. It didn't take long but he found himself at the park where he had no doubt his friend had been going to murder him that day.

"What stopped him?" he asked angrily, kicking snow.

There was no answer, not even from the little voice in the back of his head. He would have welcomed the voice. He would have welcomed any voice. He wrapped his arms around himself. Somehow he'd forgotten to grab his jacket; shoes too forgotten. He laughed dryly, shoulders shaking with each small cackle. He doubled over, laughing harder, dropping to his knees in the snow.

_"Why so happy, deary?"_

"I'm not happy," Spirit said lightly, falling over onto his side with a soft thud and crunch, sinking into the snow.

_"Why are you laughing?"_

"I don't know."

_"Then you're stupid."_

"I am. I am stupid. I don't deserve friends- even they want to kill me."

_"Because you're bad."_

"Because I'm bad," he agreed, staring at the swing in front of him.

It was dark out, the sky black. There weren't many stars out, only a scarce few speckled and shining dimly. The park lights were bright and white though, shining on the playground feet away from him. He gripped some snow under his hand and it compressed and shaped to fit the inside of his palm. He hadn't noticed when but suddenly his shoulders were trembling and his lips were tinting blue and he was crying. No, not crying, full on body wracking sobs. He couldn't even tell why he was crying really, he just knew he was. Maybe it was because he couldn't feel one side of his body anymore.

"How long have I been here..?" he asked himself.

_"Seven hours and thirty five minutes," the voice cackled. "You fell asleep~_

Spirit hissed, his teeth chattering. He felt numb all over and when he lifted his arm to push himself up, he didn't feel it, he simply saw himself do it. He couldn't tell when he put the other arm down on the ground so he almost fell over. After a few struggling confusing moments he managed to sit up. He rubbed his arms, waiting for some type of warmth to return to his chilled bones. His throat burned and he struggled for a few moments as he stumbled to his feet.

"Oh g-g-god it hurtssss," he whispered, tears rolling down his face.

He'd run away from Stein's place at about six and the voice had said it'd been seven hours since then so it was probably...one in the morning by now. He trembled and slowly begun to walk. His toes were numb and he had to watch his feet to see if he was actually touching the ground.

"Spirit? Spirit is that you?" he heard a voice call and then some coughing.

"D-D-Death?" he stammered, shivering violently.

He turned his head slightly and looked at the boy who ran over to him from the monkey bars across the park. He saw shadows running off. Death was hurriedly flickering away a cigarette.

"You s-sm-m-oke?"

"Uh..no...Anyway! What the hell are you during?! You're practically blue!"

Spirit blinked and then glanced down at his skin. He was a lot paler and there were blue veins running through his skin. He let out a shaky breath. This was probably really bad. He glanced back over to Death as the boy shred his hat, gloves, scarf, and jacket. He watched as the stuff was then put onto him. He felt kind of heavy and he could feel a shred of warmth filling his body.

"Can you walk? We have to get you home and fast."

"A-A little.."

The taller boy sighed and then picked up Spirit, letting the boy lean against his head against his shoulder. Spirit was feeling a lot warmer now but still felt frozen solid, shivering a little less violently. Death walked quickly down the street. He was greatful that he'd chosen this specific night to sneak out for that cigarette. He wanted to ask Spirit why he was outside and frozen like a popscicle but decided to save that for when the boys brain wasn't probably encased in a thin layer of ice.

They made it home in five minutes flat. Well, they made it to Deaths home. Spirit didn't question why he wasn't being brought to his own house which was before Deaths. The taller boy let Spirit stand up on his own and then quickly opened the door, gesturing Spirit in. They quietly shuffled inside and Death closed the door.

"It's almost two in the morning, we have to be like, deathly quiet."

Spirit nodded numbly and they made their way up the stairs, one at a time. They eventually made it upstairs and Death led Spirit to his room. He'd been here enough to know it was exactly fourty two and a half steps to his room. Death opened it and waited until Spirit was inside before he closed the door and flicked on the light.

Looking at Spirit now, he didn't look so cold and his shivering was just a light tremor now. His skin wasn't as pale and his lips weren't blue really anymore. He smiled and then pulled the hat off Spirit and set it on the dresser and then proceeded to take off the rest of the lended items.

"You weren't wearing shoes? You could have told me that, you know," Death said, looking blankly down at his wet socks.

"S-Sorry.."

Death sighed and pushed Spirit back until he plopped down on his bed. He tugged of the boys socks and threw them across the room before he toed off his own shoes and walked over to his closet. He went through it, pulling out a black t-shirt and some black coca cola sleeping pants. He threw that at Spirit.

"Strip and put that on."

"O...ok," Spirit stammered, cheeks miraculously coloring.

Death smiled and then turned back to the closet. He found himself a graphic tee and some grey sweatpants. He changed right there. He glanced behind himself and found that Spirit was dressed. He snickered. The shirt was about a size to big and the pants were too long, bunching up at the floor.

"Ha, you look like a little kid!"

Spirit made a face before waving him off and laying down on the bed, curling up in the other boys sheets. Death smiled and rubbed the back of his neck and flicked off the light before climbing in the bed along side him. After a few moments, he curled around Spirit, wrapping his arm around the shorter boys waist and pulling him closer. He could feel Spirit's eyelashes brush against his collar bone.

"U-Uh..Death?"

"You're cold. Accept the body heat and shut up," he grumbled in response pulling the blanket up and over them.

Spirit smiled and wrapped his arms around Death, pressing his face into his neck. Death shifted slightly, frowning. Spirit's breathing was leaving this odd moist patch in the curves of his collar bone. He sighed quietly to himself, squeezing the other boy lightly. He could feel Spirit shift and pull himself up.

"Spirit?"

The boy didn't respond and just as the older boy found himself saying the other boys name again, he felt something cold brush against his lips. He tensed, mostly in confusion as to what exactly was going on until the cold pair of lips pressed against his own insistenly. Death felt his cheeks warm and he returned the kiss, moving his lips feverishly against the calmer ones.

Death's breath wafted across his face as they broke apart briefly and Spirit found himself relishing in the smoky yet sweet smell before he pressed their lips back together, lacing his fingers through Death's hair and tugging the boy closer. He tugged on his bottom lip with teeth until they parted and Spirit allowed himself to explore the moist cave.

The elder boy found himself wanting to know where the younger had learned to kiss like _that_. He felt the red heads tongue run behind his teeth then flick over his dormant tongue, causing him to whimper. He also found himself wondering why he was the submissive one right now and why it wasn't bothering him that he, a fiftheen year old was making out with a thirteen year old. He moaned silently and after a moment, tugged on Spirit's tongue with his teeth, smiling a little at the 'eep' noise the boy made. They continued for awhile after that.

Spirit pulled away again, both gaining a well earned breath of air. Death sighed and licked his already moist lips before pulling Spirit close to him in a hug. Spirit squeezed him in return. They'd fallen asleep after that.

-.-.-.-.-.-

When Spirit awoke, it was abrupt and accompanied with a brief flash of pain. He was a little more than confused. He was sprawled across Deaths stomach and said boy was snoring oddly because of the unnecessary weight on his gut. He glanced around and saw Death's mother standing in the doorway, sporting a pink robe, hair disheveled, and a rolled up newspaper in hand, looking a little amused and irritated.

"I'm not going to ask why you're here because we're family and I'd rather not know why anyway but make sure _**I **_never catch you smoking with him."

Spirit blinked and then nodded quickly. She probably thought they'd both been at the park. Well, she was correct but he was most definitely not smoking anything of the sort.

"Now wake him up. Breakfast is ready."

Spirit watched his guardian walk out before yawning, stretching out his legs before he set up, sneezing and rubbing his nose with a groan. He nudged Death a few times and eventually, the boy turned over, stretching much like a feline and then making a few noises before falling flat, cracking an eye open to look at Spirit. His lips were bruised slightly and Spirit found himself flushing.

"Yo."

"Its breakfast time," he informed.

Death yawned and pulled himself up to sit on his legs, rubbing at his eyes, "Alright..we'll eat and then you can tell me what happened to you last night."

Spirit smiled grimly but otherwise agreed, both boys lazily dragging themselves out of the recently shared bed and made their way down stairs. When they got there, was brewing coffee, looking tired, bent over the corner.

"Hey mom, why don't you sit? I'll do your coffee."

The woman gave her son a grateful smile and all but collasped in her chair with a huff, running a hand through her hair and tugging at the kinks. Spirit rubbed his eyes and yawned. He didn't understand why he was so tired. He glanced around until he found a clock on the stove and blinked.

"It's almost noon? Did we all oversleep?"

"Well, I'm always sleepy. Don't know what happened to you all," explained, looking at the back of Death's head accusingly.

"Spirit, want some coffee? It'll wake you up more."

"Uh..ok."

"I'll make it really sweet. It can be hard to swallow the first time."

Spirit watched Death make three cups, all with different wording on it. He raised a brow and smiled a little as he set the cups down in front of them. He peered into the cup, letting the steam waft up and curl over his face.

"Your eyeballs are gonna fall out into the cup."

Spirit glanced up and gave the smiling woman a look before picking up his cup and sniffing it. Well, that was pretty useless. He couldn't smell crap. He sighed. Guess that meant he wouldn't be able to taste much either. He shrugged and sipped the liquid. He smacked his lips a few times and decided he didnt want it, leaning back and stretching his arms.

"Ma? Ma~? Are you asleep?" Death asked in a sing song voice, poking his mother.

"Oh i feel kinda sick actually..."

Death frowned and got up, looking at Spirit and motioning for him to watch over her as he walked off. Spirit watched him before turning back to the woman, standing up and walking over to her.

"..Uh..achoo..mom?"

"Oh I'm fine...just fine, Spirit..just..just give me a minute."

Spirit shrieked when she fell over but was thankful she did so in his direction so he cradled her head to his shoulder, glancing around frantically.

"Death! Mom just fainted! What do I _do_?" he cried.

"Uh! I don't know, I just called my dad, I guess the police now?" he yelled in return, sticking his head into the room and looking pretty terrified.

"Y-Yeah," Spirit stammered in aggreement accompanied with a sneeze.

Death vanished from the doorway to presumably call the police. Spirit frowned and pushed the woman back up into a seated position, huffing quietly and pushing her back against the chair with a sigh. She really just seemed asleep, if not a little warm. He pursed his lips. Was a fever bad for a woman this late into the pregnancy? Or was it normal? He had no clue.

"Is she breathing?" Death yelled.

Spirit blinked, "What?"

"Breathing! Is she breathing? Hurry up man!"

Spirit leaned over and waited for a few moments, "Yeah! It's really heavy and slow though!"

He heard Death make an angry noise and then begun talking. He sighed and stratched the back of his head, fidgeting as he wondered what to do, walking over to the sink to retrieve a damp towel until he heard a little splash, glancing behind him in wonder, looking at .

"Oh shi- DEATH! DEATH I THINK WE NEED THAT AMBULANCE LIKE, NOW."

"Why? Why whats wrong?"

"I think..I think her water broke!"

"Oh death no."

It was ten minutes until the ambulance arrived and by then Spirit had ran to hide behind the couch and Death was ducking whatever his mother was throwing. She'd woken up after the first two contraction's and to say she was pissed was an understatement.

"Stupid damn police, stupid baby, stupid Howard and his stupid s-ah! Son of a bitch!"

Spirit winced and peered over the couch and was extremely happy when he heard the sirens in the distance, crawling over to the door and opening it. The paramedics were pulling a gurney out of the back of the ambulance and he ran into the kitchen, a coffee mug scarcely missing Spirit's head.

"Sorry. Sorry. Damn it hurts," she cried, letting Death wipe the sweat off her forehead.

"They're he-"

"Cuse' us,"

Spirit moved out the way and Death was gently pushed to the side as they dropped the gurney and after a little struggle from , got her on the thing and were now walking back outside with Death and Spirit in tow. Spirit had to sit on Death's lap if he wanted to ride in the back but he didn't mind. He wanted to be there for this baby.

-.-.-.-.-

Ms. Angela Gallows and child died at 12:09 a.m.

.

. **I wonder how many I fooled with the title of this chapter.**


	6. Sorry

. Our Alternate Origins - Before Us

. Sorry - Chapter 5

. My friend wanted to decapitate me after she read chapter 4/5. She hates me now. Not only because Ms. Gallows died, there was absolutely no Stein. She's really upset. Dx It wasn't that bad, was it? SENTENCES in italics are said by the evil voice unless said otherwise.

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It was only two weeks and it had seemed like hundreds of mourning years. Neither boy believed they'd cried this much, ever. The walk to the caskets seemed even longer despite it being only seconds away.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

The rain gently hit the tent they were under. Did it always rain at funerals? Or was it just a sick joke movies made to make the occasion sadder? Both teenagers were holding hands, the younger using his free hand to brush away the uncontrollable tears, hiccupping constantly while the elder grit his teeth and quietly let his tears stream.

No one was dressed up in suits or fancy dresses. Angela Gallows hated tight fancy dresses and suits and dress suits and most definitely did not want it at her funeral. Said woman was laying in her coffin, wearing a simple blue and white sundress and some pale blue slippers. The baby in the next coffin was wrapped up in a blue security blanket. Spirit had come up with the name since Death nor could his father comprehend the moment in the hospital. He named the boy Asura.

The red head blinked, his vision blurry as to whereas he could hardly see. He had his hair pulled back and his bangs clipped to the top of his head. He was wearing khaki's and a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up and a pair of tennis shoes. He glanced over to the older boy. His hair was pulled back as well but his let his bangs stay. He was wearing black skinny jeans and a black and white striped shirt that said 'Moms little Rebel" and black combat boots.

Everyone else in the crowd was dressed in a similar fashion, t-shirts, tank tops, few dress shirts. Skinny jeans, shorts, short skirts. Boots, gym shoes, sneakers. Angela was probably laughing at them all now with her baby in her arms, cooing over the name she no doubt approved of.

They'd finally stopped at the caskets and Spirit felt his breath hitched and the hand holding the two red roses was trembling now. He watched Death shakily put a flower on each casket and then Spirit did so after, leaning over and pressing a kiss to the forehead of each cold body.

"Thank you Ms. Gall-"

Death smacked him in the head, "She liked it better when you called her mom," he informed, voice cracking in the end.

Spirit cracked a small smile, "Love you mom...love you Asura," he breathed, turning back around with Death to walk to their chairs and sit quietly until everyone else had said their few words.

It wasn't a long process, it was a private funeral and all. Spirit had his head resting against Deaths shoulder and their fingers were still intertwined. Mr. Gallows stood up after everyone had filed out and bid their farewells and countless apologies. They'd been sitting there ten minutes after the caskets had been lowered.

"Let's have a wake, for your mother and brother."

"But we didn't schedule for one, dad..."

"No, no. Just the three of us, let's go...let's go eat. What's that place you're always begging for me to take you two?"

"...Castle King..?" Spirit asked, a bit unsure.

"Yeah, yeah. Let's go there."

Death sighed but shrugged lightly, "Alright."

All three of them walked to their car and drove to the infamous burger joint. Spirit didn't even seem to react in the car, just simply sat and stared out the window. Saying the two others in the car were worried would be an understatement. Spirit had never gotten into a car without freaking and he'd never been quiet like this. Death debated for a moment before stretching his legs out over the remaining seat and resting his head in Spirit's lap, snapping the boy out of his daze.

"You alright man?"

Spirit cracked a small but true smile, "Yeah...it's just...I don't think I'm afraid of cars that much anymore."

Death blinked hard, "Really?"

"Yeah...Mom always told me to get over it, ya know? Ironic that I don't even think of the car as a death machine the day she died."

"Ma probably took your fear of cars with her, so you wouldn't have to suffer as much," Mr. Gallows chirped, sparing a glance at the two in the back before continuing to drive.

Death smiled, "Yeah. That sounds like something ma would do. Maybe the baby too, I bet he would be the spitting image and personality of mom. He already was and he didn't even have hair or teeth yet."

Spirit laughed lightly, "Yeah...Mom was the best in the world."

"One of a kind."

"And the one and only," Mr. Gallows piped in.

After a ten minutes, they'd pulled into the parking lot of the place and it was pretty packed really. They had to wait for a car to pull out to get a spot before they went inside. Apparently there was a birthday party going on, kids running around with stolen streamers and balloons.

Spirit smiled and wondered who the birthday kid was as they walked over to the ordering counter. They all looked up to scan the menus and eventually ordered the Castle King Meal. It was a pretty big meal and they each had to carry their own tray to the table. Spirit plopped down in his seat after everyone else had set down and stuck a French fry in his mouth.

"Ya know, I had my fourth birthday here. They give you a whole bunch of crap. But it's good crap so...I even got to play at the cash register and take orders. I was like, the tip gangster because whoever was holding me got a lot of tips and I made like twenty bucks," Spirit chuckled.

Death laughed and sipped his cola, "That's hilarious. I don't even remember that."

"You were sick remember? Couldn't even roll out of bed for your best friend's birthday. I woke you up by shoving cake in your face that day though."

"Ah yes...it was pretty good cake," he commented dreamily.

"Gonna head to the bathroom," Mr. Gallows said off handedly as he walked off.

"H-Hey! Stein! Stein! Wait for me!"

Spirit blinked and glanced around, Death as well.

"Oh look, Stein's coming over here...looks pretty pissed too."

Spirit looked over to where Death was looking. Stein was in fact crossing the room to their table, a blonde girl following after him. Stein was flushed as if he'd been running and he was frowning. Spirit glanced away. He hadn't seen Stein since he ran away. Stein came to a stop at their table, bending over and putting his hands on his knees, panting.

"S...Senpai..? How come...y-you haven't answered any of my calls?" he wheezed.

Spirit blinked. He actually hadn't been home except to grab clothes. He hadn't even bothered to check his answering machine.

"Uh...haven't been home?"

Stein frowned more and didn't seem to believe him, his breathing letting up some and he stood up straight, "Todays my thirteenth birthday."

Spirit blinked hard and suddenly remembered number 10 on his 'Stuff about Franken Stein' list.

10. Is twelve, thirteen in two and a half weeks.

And that was two and a half weeks ago. Spirit sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He'd been too occupied to even notice. He frowned and then glanced at Stein. He'd just left a funeral and he most definitely had no right to be angry with him.

"My mother died two weeks ago, Stein. We just left her funeral."

Stein's angered expression dropped like hot cakes and was replaced with one of blankness.

"Oh...I'm sorry."

"Stein! Your mom said you can't leave me! You have to watch me," the blonde girl said angrily, making the three boys snap their attention to her.

"Shh...Marie, be quiet, I'm talking."

"Nuuuu!"

"Its fine, she can stay there," Death said, waving his hand dismissively. "So? What happened to my invite?"

"I told your dad when he picked up. Just said ok and hung up."

"Useless father," Death joked quietly.

"Well, are we still invited?" Spirit asked.

Stein nodded. Spirit smiled and stood, Death and him taking their trays over to Steins party table.

Alexis was looking swamped, watching all the teenagers run around and attack each other with water guns. Spirit set his tray down at a free seat but Stein picked it back up and walked down to the head of the table, shoving two other trays out the way and sitting Spirit's down and waving Death towards the other seat.

"Oh, Spirit! Come here, come here," Alexis called, motioning him over.

Spirit shrugged and walked over to the blonde woman who for once had her hair down, green eyes shining happily.

"I was hoping you came, I really was, Stein was starting to be a downer," she said with a sigh," all the other kids stole the water guns and went berserk. They weren't even invited to his party."

"It was an accident really...we just left my mother's funeral."

"Oh. My poor baby," she cooed, pulling him down into a hug.

No one really had hugged him at all. Death held him when they went to sleep (kissed him a lot too) but really, no hugs. He blinked and lightly hugged back, feeling tears swell in his eyes. When he pulled away, Alexis wiped them away with her own watery smile.

"I hope you don't mind. I wrapped up the computer set you bought Stein and hid it until today, it's over there, and I put your name on it and everything. I thought it'd be a nice birthday present, right?"

"YAHOO!"

Spirit and Alexis glanced over in the direction of the battle cry and saw Stein looking blankly at a retreating Death and Marie, completely soaked. Marie was giggling, sitting on Death's shoulders and holding a water gun. Death had one hand on her thigh and the other on the trigger of the super soaker.

"That was cheating," Stein said dryly.

"Alright, I've been stalling for about an hour to see if you'd come or not," Alexis whispered, "Stein! Stein we can open presents now!"

"Thanks mother, would have been nicer if I wasn't wet," Stein called back, walking over to the table, dripping the whole way there.

"The rain would have gotten you wet anyway!"

There weren't a lot of presents but before Spirit and Death had come over, they had been only a party of three and then some kids who'd come in had been invited over and dropped something they'd just bought onto the table. They were leaving now though so it was just the five of them.

"Open mine Stein! Open mine!" the girl whined, pointing to a pretty decent sized box in the front, decorated with stitch gift wrap. Spirit would probably never know where she got it.

Stein nodded and grabbed her present, taking off the bow and carefully peeling the wrapping away until he could open the box. He peered inside and blinked a few times. Really, it looked like a care package that you would send to a foreign family member but, a care package for Stein.

There were dozens of note pads with pens and pencils, bandages and large spools of thread with a variety of needles. A set of scalpels and a medical tray as well. Also there were a few smaller science and medical books, ones Stein didn't have. There was a lab coat, wrapped in plastic underneath it all.

Stein glanced over to Marie, seeing her looking nervous. Stein smiled genuinely and leaned over, quickly brushing his lips against the hair over her forehead.

"Thank you, Marie."

The girl was red and giggling, clasping her hands in front of her and practically bouncing on the balls of her feet. Spirit smiled and watched Stein go over to the next box, this one from his mother. It was skinny box and he peeled the wrapper away easily, popping open the box and turning it over, letting the contents slid out.

There was a card, a letter, and a locket. Stein picked up the locket first and blinked, watching it twirl around before popping it open. He tensed and stared at the photos.

"Who is it?" Death asked, peering over his shoulder.

"Mother and me...and...Mom and dad...and me," he said slowly, turning the locket around to show the nosy boy and then the other occupants of his party.

There were two pictures, on either side of the locket. The one on the left was a picture of Stein and Alexis; Alexis grinning widely and holding Stein against her face. Stein was pouting, trying to push her away with his tiny balled up fists, his cheek smashed against hers and making his eye into a slit. The other picture was of a grey haired woman, a black haired man and then a tiny baby, staring quietly into the camera. They were a rather bland looking family really. It seemed Stein got his smile issues from his parents.

"Thank you...mom."

Alexis grinned happily and clasped her hands, looking over  
to the last two large boxes.

"Open the presents from Spirit, open them, open them!"

Stein glanced over at Spirit curiously. He didn't remember Spirit bringing in any presents but he shrugged it off. The boxes were too heavy for him to move but he opened the first box, peering inside quietly.

"Is this...is this the computer I wanted?"

"Uh...Yeah...I bought it for you," Spirit said nervously, rubbing the back of his head and glancing around.

Stein opened the other present quickly, a grin spreading, "It's the whole set!"

Marie pursed her lips and glared venomously at Spirit. She may have gotten a kiss to the forehead but Spirit had Stein grinning like a madman. She crossed her arms over her chest and sighed angrily, frowning hard as she watched Stein practically melt over the computer. He'd wanted it since, forever and made sure to brag about how wonderful it would be when he got it. She didn't understand why he wanted that specific computer because it was such an old model, it probably cost only 20 bucks ($243.23).

"Thank you, Senpai," he said softly, his face set back into its normal reservation, extending his arms, "I give you permission to hug me."

Spirit blinked and stepped much quicker into the hug than he'd done when Stein had first given him permission to hug him. It was much warmer now too, being inside than outside. It held a certain missing comfort though, with the other people watching them. He was glad Stein had hugged him correctly this time around and he didn't have to worry about the boys injured arm since it'd healed apparently at some point. He guessed it wasn't that broken then.

The hug was much shorter than the first but longer than necessary and Stein smiled slightly as they parted. Spirit blinked a few times and then for the first time noticed he was actually looking straight at the other boy.

"You got taller..."

Stein blinked and then looked at Spirit. He was no less than half an inch shorter than the boy instead of two. Stein smirked.

"I'll be taller than you soon, senpai."

"No way! That'll just be cruel and unusual punishment."

"Hm. I can show him cruel and unusual punishment," Stein thought with a dry chuckle. He almost slapped himself at the thought.

Where had that come from?

He'd never thought about laying a finger on another person...well, at least not in the creepy, "cut them open with his new surgical tools and stuff" way. He frowned and watched Spirit chit chat with Death. Marie was sulking like a kicked puppy near his mother who was completely ignoring her really.

"Hey Death, Spirit I have to...do some paperwork regarding your...your mother so you have to go home..." Mr. Gallows said, approaching the table.

"Ah...Ok dad, c'mon Spirit."

Spirit nodded and smiled at Stein lightly, raising his hand in goodbye and following the older boy and the elder man out.

The first time since he actually met him, he wanted to cut him open. He'd always wanted to cut the boy open, it was his idea of torturing him whenever he found him. His intention was to kill the boy as some type of revenge. Stein bit his bottom lip and grinned. He really did but, just not for revenge. Just because he wanted to and he could.

He wanted to cut Spirit Albarn wide open.

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. Dun Dun. Crazy folks. Ok. Ok. I'm leaving.


End file.
